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Your guide to the Isle of Wight Festival 2026

Stuart RustSouth of England
Getty Images A music festival crowd is pictured head on. In the centre of the image a blonde woman wearing a blue dress is sat on a man's shoulders and towering over everybody else. Getty Images
Tens of thousands of people are expected to make the crossing from the mainland for four days of live music

One of the UK's most popular festivals returns to the Isle of Wight this week.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to make the crossing from the mainland for four days of live music - with Lewis Capaldi, Calvin Harris and The Cure among the headline acts.

The Isle of Wight Festival is a part of music history - the legendary events of 1968-70 attracted hundreds of thousands to see the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan.

Here is everything you need to know about this year's festival at Seaclose Park.

What's on?

Getty Images Lewis Capaldi, a man with shoulder length hair, is pictured on stage at the Isle of Wight Festival. He is stoog against an orange backdrop wearing a blue jumper and a guitar on a strap. He is holding a microphone on a stand in his right hand.Getty Images
Lewis Capaldi will headline the Main Stage on Friday night

The lineup spans several generations of music, with something for most tastes across the four days.

Lewis Capaldi headlines on Friday, Calvin Harris closes Saturday night, and The Cure bring the weekend to a climax on Sunday.

Joining the headliners are Teddy Swims, Wet Leg, The Kooks, Tom Grennan, Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter, The Last Dinner Party, Rick Astley, David Gray, Rita Ora and Level 42, among many others spread across the weekend.

Beyond the Main Stage, the festival runs across the Big Top, the River Stage, Kashmir Café and Cirque de la Quirk, giving smaller and emerging acts a platform alongside the bigger names.

Full stage times are available on the festival's website.

Getting there

Getty Images A large white ferry with "RED FUNNEL" printed on the side is pictured in motion as it crosses a body of water. People can be seen on the deck looking out from the railings. Getty Images
Red Funnel operates crossings between the Isle of Wight and Southampton throughout the festival weekend

For those on the mainland, getting to the festival means getting to the island first.

For many, that means a ferry crossing from Portsmouth, with Wightlink's FastCat service taking around 20 minutes to Ryde.

Red Funnel also operates crossings from Southampton, while Wightlink's car ferry runs from Lymington to Yarmouth in about 40 minutes.

Hovertravel also offers a 10-minute hovercraft crossing from Southsea to Ryde.

All operators run services throughout the festival weekend, and booking in advance is strongly advised, particularly for the Thursday and Sunday crossings.

For foot passengers, the Portsmouth to Fishbourne car ferry is not recommended as there is no onward transport from Fishbourne to the festival site.

Once on the island, bus services run to the festival site from both Ryde and Yarmouth, and festival shuttle buses operate directly from the ferry ports throughout the weekend.

Drivers should be aware that on-site parking is limited and fills quickly.

Where to stay

Getty Images The camera takes in a strip of grass between two rows of tents. A number of people are scattered around sitting in deckchairs and wearing summery clothes. Getty Images
The campsite opens on Thursday, with showers, toilets, bars and food concessions throughout

For most festival-goers, camping on site is the default.

The campsite opens at 10:00 BST on Thursday and closes at 14:00 on Monday, with showers, toilets, bars and food concessions throughout.

Those who want to stay on site without pitching a tent can explore boutique glamping options, ranging from basic pre-pitched tents through to yurts.

For those who prefer a roof over their head, the island has a range of hotels, B&Bs and self-catering properties.

Newport is the most convenient base for the festival, though visitors who want to make more of a trip of it often choose to stay near the coast and travel in each day.

Good to know

Getty Images A crowd of people walking through a festival site are pictured from behind. Many of them are wearing hats and summer clothes. Rows of brightly coloured flags can be seen flying above them. Getty Images
The festival is entirely cashless in 2026, with payment by card or apps such as Apple Pay and Google Pay

Tickets

All tickets are now sold out through the official festival website. Anyone still looking should check the festival's own site for any returned availability.

Cashless site

The festival is entirely cashless in 2026. Payment is by card - Visa, Mastercard or Amex - or via apps such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Bags

Small bags and day rucksacks must not exceed 40cm in height within the festival site. Larger bags are permitted in the campsites only.

Food and drink

Alcohol, food, cans and bottles are not permitted in the main festival arena, though they can be brought into the campsite. Festival goers can bring water and non-alcoholic drinks in 500ml plastic bottles with unbroken seals. Water refill points are available throughout the site, and the festival encourages attendees to bring empty reusable bottles.

Chairs and blankets

New rules are in place for 2026. During busy periods in the Main Arena, chairs must be folded away and blankets removed. Chairs and blankets cannot be used to mark out large areas or reserve space and chairs are not permitted inside the Big Top or Electro Love at any time.

Families

Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The festival includes a dedicated Kidzone area. Infant tickets are available free of charge, while children aged three to 15 require child or teenager tickets. Full details are available on the festival website.

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